Mother Jones: Stefanik received large share of first quarter campaign funds from PAC connected to billionaire Paul Singer

Republican Congressional candidate Elise M. Stefanik has received more than $110,000 from a political action committee connected with billionaire hedge fund manager and Republican donor Paul Singer, according to Mother Jones magazine.

The committee, Winning Women, was formed in February and has also given money to Barbara Comstock, a Republican candidate in Virginia, and Martha McSally, a Republican running for Congress in Arizona.

Ms. Stefanik received two donations from the PAC in the first quarter of 2014, $90,646.02 and $20,271.17, both on March 31. The donations, totaling $110,917, comprised 41 percent of the money Ms. Stefaniks campaign received in the first quarter.

Mr. Singer has achieved a fair degree of notoriety among Republicans for his outspoken views on gay marriage and immigration that sometimes buck the party trend and for his willingness to support his convictions with large amounts of money.

In 2012, Ms. Stefaniks primary opponent Matthew A. Doheny raised $1,964,690 and spent $1,953,727. He was running against Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, who announced in January that he was not seeking reelection.

Just under half of Mr. Dohenys war-chest  $950,000  was self-funded.

Between the two of them, Mr. Owens and Mr. Doheny spent more than $500,000 on their campaigns. Outside groups spent $2.6 million.

On Monday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called on Mr. Doheny to return $2,000 he received in the 2012 race from Rep. Michael Grimm, R-Staten Island. Rep. Grimm was indicted on federal charges Monday. He is accused of concealing more than $1 million in receipts from a Manhattan restaurant he helped run, under reporting employee wages and committing tax fraud.

The percentage of donations to Ms. Stefaniks campaign was revised to 41 percent in the Mother Jones story. This post has been corrected to reflect that change.

 DPF

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